Automatic garage door opener



y 1935- J. FREZZOLINI 2,001,416

AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENER Filed Sept. 14, 1932 k k L41 nvvzuron E 41JAME$ Pmzou/w fi g8 I Q Arromv Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENER James Frenolini, New York, N.Y.

Application September 14, 1932, Serial No. 633,056

2 Claims. (01. 268-88) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in an electric motor driven door opener adapted for theopening and closing of garage doors, and other doors.

The invention has for an object the construction of a device asmentioned which is characterized by the provision of an electric motorconnected with a transmission terminating in a a rotative screw, and afollower engaged upon said screw and connected with linkage adapted toopen and close the doors depending upon the direction of rotation ofsaid screw.

More particularly it is proposed to arrange a reversing switch incircuit with said motor operated automatically as the follower reachesthe ends of its stroke for causing the reversing of said motor.

Furthermore, as another object it is proposed to provide a gravityswitch, or any type of selfopening and coil closing switch in serieswith said reversing switch and adapted to cut the current through themotor upon operation of the reversing switch in either direction.

Furthermore, the invention proposes the provision of a circuit includingsaid coil to cause the closing of the switch and thus operation of themotor. s

The invention is particularly adapted to the provision of a magneticunit upon a moving vehicle adapted to operate a momentary switch incircuit with said coil so as to cause the opening and closing of thegarage doors as desired for convenience of the operator of the motorvehicle.

The invention still further proposes the construction of a device asmentioned which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured andsold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension, and of the objects and advantages thereof,reference will be had to the following description and accompanyingdrawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel featuresof the invention ate more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a garage and the roadway to thefront of the doors thereof, and

showing an automobile approaching.

Fig. 2 is a side elevatlonal view of a magnetic unit intended to becarried by the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan viewof a momentary switch adapted to be operated by themagnet shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational'view of mm.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mechanism for opening and closing thegarage doors.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of F18. 6.

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the de- 5 vice.

The reference numeral l0 indicates generally a garage equipped with apair of swinging doors I I; while the invention is to be disclosedrelative to swinging doors it is not intended to limit it to 10 suchconstruction. The dot and dash lines in Fig.

1 illustrate the open position of the doors. To the front of the doorsthere is located a roadway l2 upon which an automobile i3 is shown inposition. This automobile is provided with an electromagnet i4 securedupon its bottom side. This magnet comprises a coil l5 in circuit withsome source of power such as the battery of the vehicle and a handswitch It which preferably should be located on the dash board of thevehicle or in any other-position for convenient engagement by thevehicle operator. An iron core I! is used in conjunction with the coili5 to conclude the electro-magnet. The arrangement is such that when theswitch i6 is depressed the magnet is energized and adapted to cause theclosing of a switch 18 located to the front of the doors II. This switchI8 is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. e

The switch l8 comprises a base plate I9 having a pair of spaced upwarddirected prongs 20. A yoke 2| is pivoted upon the prongs engaging theprongs 20 so as to be pivotally supported and a cross bar 22 is securedupon this yoke and extends to both sides thereof. A spring 23 isarranged coaxially upon one of the trunnion elements and acts betweenthe yoke 2i and the prongs 20 for urging the yoke in one direction.Another spring 24 acts between the yoke 2| and the base plate IQ forurging the yoke in the other direction. These springs are so designed asto balance each other and cause the yoke to assume a neutral position.Arranged upon the peg l9 there is located aground terminal 25 from whichthe current may reach a contact finger 26 carried upon the cross bar 22.The circuit may continue from the contact finger 26 if the cross bar 22is tilted to the live wire terminal 21. The switch is so designed thatupon energization of the electro-magnet ll the bar 22 will be caused topivot in one or the other direction and cause the closing of the switchIt.

A frame 30 is located in the vicinity of the doors I i and rotativelysupports a screw 3 l. Ibis screw is situated at right angles to thedoors ll doors.

when the latter elements are closed. An electric motor 32 is supportedupon the frame 30 and is in connection with a transmission adapted todrive the screw 3! in one direction or the other. In greater detail themotor 32 is provided with a pinion meshing with a gear 34 connected withthe screw Si by the provision of a slip friction clutch 35.

A follower 36 is threadedly engaged upon the screw 31 and is guidedagainst a pair of parallel bars 31 mounted upon the frame 30. Thisfollower is adapted to move from one end of the screw to the other andvice-versa to cause the opening and closing of the doors. Linkage isconnected between the follower 36 and the doors ii and comprises a pairof bars 38 pivotally connected upon the follower 36 and upon the doorsii at points spaced from the hinges 39 of the The arrangement is suchthat the doors assume the open positions indicated by the dot and dashlines engaged in Fig. 6 when the follower is extended to the other endof the screw.

A circuit is provided for controlling the rotation of the motor 32 andincludes a self opening and coil closing switch 40 and a reversingswitch Si. The reversing switch is schematically shown in Fig. 8 and isshown connected with leads 42 for connection with a source of power andis adapted to reverse the flow of current through the field of themotor.

A means for reversing in succession the reversing switch ii as thefollower 36 reaches the ends of its stroke has been provided andcomprises a rod d3 supported upon the operating lever 44 of the controlmechanism for snapping the switch ll in one or the other of itspositions. The details of the switch will not be given here since itforms no part of the invention and are generally known. As shown in Fig.7 the blades of the switch are closed against the contacts 45 at oneside. The blades may pivot to the other side so as to close with thecontacts 45. The mechanism for snapping the blades into one or the otherdirection is housed within the casing 4'1 rigidly secured upon the baseof the switch. The rod 43 has its ends 48 bent downwards and adjustablefingers 9 are secured upon the ends 48 and extend into the path ofmotion of the follower 36 clearly shown in Fig. 6. A starting circuit isprovided and includes the coil 56 of the self opening and coil closingswitch so and the momentary switch 18.

The operation of the device may be traced by assuming the doors closedand the vehicle approaching. The driver closes the switch l6 so as toenergize the magnet. Thus as the car moves over the momentary switch [8the circuit will be closed between the finger 2i and the terminal 21.Consequently a current will flow'through the coil 50 of the self openingand coil closing switch 40. This current causes the switch to close, andconsequently the circuit including the electric motor 32 is now closedand the motor operates. Rotations from the motor cause turning of thescrew 3i and the follower 36 moves along the screw to open the doors ii.As the follower reaches the end of its stroke it engages against one ofthe fingers 49 and causes pivoting of the lever 44 and operation of themechanism within the casing 48 which throws the switch 4| in the otherdirection. The motor 32 is now connected to operate in the reverse orderbut such operation will not take place just now because during thereversing of the switch 4! the circuit through the motor was openedmomentarily and consequently the self opening switch 40 assumed itsopened position. The garage doors are now opened.

To close the garage doors it is necessary that the momentary switch i8be operated again such as, for example, when the vehicle is driving fromthe garage. The circuit will then be closed through the coil 50 which inturn closes the switch :30 and causes operation of the motor 32 whichnow rotates in the opposite direction and closes the door i I. When itreaches the end of its stroke, the follower 36 will strike the otherfinger 49 and cause the reversing of the switch ll. During the reversingof the switch the self opening switch 40 will open and so break thecircuit through the electric motor.

In addition to the momentary operating switch l8 other switches shouldbe used to shunt this switch and be operable by key-control or any otherarrangement so that the garage doors may be opened without the necessityof moving the magnet over the switch i8. Such construction is notillustrated on the drawing since it will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. An operator for garage doors comprising a rectangular frame having across piece intermediate the ends thereof, a threaded shaft journalledin said cross piece and in one end of said frame, said shaft extendingthrough said cross piece, a friction clutch mounted on the free end ofsaid shaft, an electric motor mounted in said frame adjacent saidclutch, gearing connecting said motor to said clutch to drive saidshaft, guide members in said frame extending from said cross piece onopposite sides of said shaft to the end of said frame, a follower havinga portion engaging said shaft and in guided relation with said guidemembers, means connecting said follower to said doors to operate same,means in said frame to control said motor comprising a snap actionswitch connected to said motor to drive the same in opposite directionslocated within said frame between one of said guide members and the sideof said frame, a bar extending parallel with said shaft and operativelyconnected with said snap action switch to operate the same, the ends ofsaid bar being bent at right angles to said shaft, and adjustablefingers on the ends of said bent portions of the bar extending into thepath of said follower to be engaged thereby to operate said switch.

'2. An operator for garage doors comprising a rectangular frame having across piece intermediate the ends thereof, a threaded shaft iournalledin said cross piece and in one end of said frame, said shaft extendingthrough said cross piece, a friction clutch mounted on the free end ofsaid shaft, an electric motor mounted in said frame adjacent saidclutch, gearing connecting said motor to said clutch to drive saidshaft, guide members in said frame extending from said cross piece onopposite sides of said shaft to the end of said frame, a follower havinga portion engaging said shaft and in guide relation with said guidemembers, means connecting said follower to said doors to operate same,means in said .'ame to control said motor comprising asnap action switchcon nected to said motor to drive the same in opposite directionslocated within said frame between one 01' said guide members and theside 0! said frame, a bar extending parallel with said shaft andoperatively connected with said snap action switch to operate the same,the ends 0! said bar being bent at right angles to said shaft, andadjustable fingers on the ends of said bent portions or the barextending into the path of said 101- lower to be engaged thereby tooperate said switch, and means for setting said motor in up erationcomprising a switch located to one side of said bar in either directionto close a circuit 10 through said motor.

JAMES FREZZOLINI.

